Reema Sylvia

James Miller
English 1301
17 Sept, 2018
PLATO AND TOTALITARIANISM

Plato, son of Ariston and founder of the Academy was born in 438 B.C in Athens. He spent most
of his lifetime pursuing philosophy and seeking answers to questions about the nature of the
universe. During these times, he established the academy and influenced people around him
including his student Aristotle who became a philosopher himself. In his later years, Plato
focused himself in politics where he combined his philosophy to find answers to his
questions--“What is justice?”
To find these answers, Plato had constituted an ideal city-state where its citizens would be
thoroughly controlled and monitored. They had equal shares, no privacy, they could not possess
gold or silver nor be allowed to be poor and sink below the wealth of one plot. At this point, even
marriage was arranged by the officials and considered that it was “for the common good of all”
according to the book (Plato for Beginners). Aristotle, who was strongly influenced by Plato was
quoted saying “ ​ In as much therefore as it is the duty of the lawgiver to consider from the start
how the children reared are to obtain the best bodily frames, he must first pay attention to the
union of the sexes, and settle when and in what condition a couple should practice matrimonial
intercourse.​ ” ​Basically, this idea resulted in the birth of the totalitarian government where
individuals had no free will and everything was up to the state. In Plato’s perspective, this type
of government was to help search for “Justice” where the laws were based on the common good
of all. He even believed that “it is the concerned for one’s own wealth and power that leads
people and cities into conflict” Furthermore, during this time, the citizens did not have the sense
of individualism we have today, therefore, it was the best governance they had.
In later centuries, the ideas of a totalitarian government have been installed in different forms
like Fascism, Communism and Nazism where they have portrayed as bad image in the form of
many governments. This is because of the negative outcomes that were created through Nazism
and other strict governments. Generally, I’d think that this type of government works well in
theory than it does in practice and not every individual thinks the same hence, some value
freedom, independence and their privacy. Thus being said, we should seriously think about the
nature of the totalitarian regimes.
The advantages of these regimes ​are that they create​ rapid changes throughout society and have
an organized order of governance and create unity. It also brings the equality within the
society—since its main focus is to distribute everything equally among citizens. The
disadvantages are that citizens under such control have no freedom of speech, thought and the
freedom of gaining more than others nor will there be privacy since the government will be
watching each action of every citizen. As one can imagine a scenario where an individual has
pursued their education to a considerably advanced degree but they cannot achieve more
expensive materials or luxuries than others since it makes him/her wealthier which is
prohibited​[1]​. World leaders with totalitarian ideas have often had a misconception of the
government’s principles. Their methods are often derogatory and distressing to the people since
history has shown that they sustain greediness because of the power and the control they
maintain. Plato had always imagined a city-state with a “Philosopher King” who possesses
wisdom, knowledge and lives for a simple lifestyle. This is because philosophers are more
inclined in finding what they consider as “truth and justice.” They are also free from greed
because their main focus is to find what beneficial for all and to create better societies.

REFERENCES

https://academic-eb-com.leonardo.lee.edu/levels/collegiate/article/totalitarianism/73017
Plato’s Republic: Just Society or Totalitarian State? -
https://www.centerforfutureconsciousness.com/pdf_files/2008_Essays/Plato%20s%20Republic-
Just%20Society%20or%20Totalitarian%20State.pdf
Quotes by
Aristotle-http://www.worldfuturefund.org/wffmaster/Reading/Quotes/Aristotle%20Quotes.htm

[1]​ Cuba enforces these practices and is a totalitarian state